49ers keeping teams guessing

The San Francisco 49ers brought four of the top college prospects in the nation into their boardroom the past few days.

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Which one will they pick with the No. 1 spot in the NFL Draft?

The 49ers have turned their decision-making process into a spectacle. They've brought in quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Alex Smith, wide receiver Braylon Edwards and cornerback Antrel Rolle for visits. They've had talks with the agents for Rodgers and Smith to determine which would be easier to sign.

The 49ers have given the impression that they haven't made up their mind - there doesn't appear to be a slam-dunk choice for the first pick. The 49ers will set the tone for the draft, with the next four picks belonging to Miami, Cleveland, Chicago and Tampa Bay.

There is no dominant player in this year's draft. Odds are, unless the 49ers trade the top pick, they will select Rodgers. Few expect them to take a receiver or a cornerback with the first pick.

Only one wide receiver - Keyshawn Johnson in 1996 - was selected with the first pick since 1984. A cornerback has never been selected with the No.1 overall pick.

And receivers are among the most risky selections. Of the 21 receivers selected in the top 10 in the past 15 years, only six have made the Pro Bowl and just three have done it more than once.

Quarterbacks, always at a premium, have been selected six times in the last seven years with the first pick.

The 49ers might go with Rodgers for several reasons. He played under center at California; Smith played in the shotgun at Utah. And it doesn't hurt that Rodgers would be a popular pick in the Bay Area.

Rodgers also won the interview battle at his news conference, showing the self-confidence that teams want in a quarterback.

New Niners coach Mike Nolan has already predicted his team will contend for the NFC West title, and Rodgers talked as if that's not an outlandish idea.

"Bringing in a new coach and bringing in a top pick, I think the expectations are going to be high. The Bay Area should expect this team to be a lot better next year," Rodgers said.

By contrast, Smith told reporters, "This is not something that's going to be turned around right away. We're not going to be winning Super Bowls next year, I don't imagine, although we'd like to."

There are concerns that Rodgers played for Cal coach Jeff Tedford, who has a reputation of doing such a good job tutoring college quarterbacks that he masks some of their deficiencies.

Tedford coached five quarterbacks - Trent Dilfer, Akili Smith, Kyle Boller, Joey Harrington and David Carr - who have been drafted in the first round, but none has emerged as a star. Dilfer won a Super Bowl ring in Baltimore, but did so on the shoulders of a great defense and then was promptly cut.

The Dolphins are expected to take a running back with the second overall pick, with Auburn's Ronnie Brown most often mentioned.

The Browns, like the 49ers, are something of a wild card. They could take Edwards, the top wide receiver in the draft; or Smith, because they need a quarterback; or a defensive player because new coach Romeo Crennel is a former defensive coordinator.

Two Auburn running backs could go among the top five, with Carnell Williams rated by some scouts higher than Brown. Williams played ahead of Brown for most of their college careers.

NFL Draft

When: Saturday-Sunday, April 23-24

Where: Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York

TV: Noon Saturday. (ESPN); 11 a.m. Sunday (ESPN)

This week

Staff writer Marc Weiszer will take a day-by-day look at the Georgia Bulldogs who are headed to the NFL Draft, beginning with Monday's story on receivers Fred Gibson and Reggie Brown.